Recommended Helmets

dan1502
dan1502 Posts: 568
edited February 2010 in MTB buying advice
I'm completely new to this and need to get a Helmet. I popped to Evans yesterday and tried a few and have also measured my head which is 58cm. Of those I tried, I think the medium and large both fit in most cases - the medium pretty much on the biggest setting and the large towards the smallest.

Anyway I will be riding on the road and also on trails. I have narrowed it down to the following but am happy to consider others. Price is a consideration but I always hunt for the best deal so will not be paying anywhere near list price for any.

Giro Hex
Giro Athlon
Met Kaos
Met Kaos Ultralight
Bell Slant

Am I right thinking that a white helmet is best due to the heat soak of black in the summer? I have a white/green/black bike. I do like the look of the Athlon as the 2009 model is available in white/green and the 2010 in black/green/white.

I hate the look of helmets full stop so am also interested inwhich look the most ok if you know what I mean.

Thanks
Santa Cruz Tallboy

Comments

  • nfrang
    nfrang Posts: 250
    Met Kaos(normal version) Comes in a nice green...

    http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.p ... 91&o=98991

    That or the Ultimalite would be my vote out of those.
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Sod which one looks best, get the one that fits best ;)
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    I'd nip in a shop and try a few out, some heads better suited to some designs and brands. Hex is good value though.
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    I did try the Hex and the Chaos and some more expensive Giro's but I'm not sure which. The Giro Athlon's are perfect in terms of colour as they're the same schemes as my bike:

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=44597

    http://shop.2wheelsonly.co.uk/giro-athl ... 2872-p.asp

    http://www.konabikes.co.uk/2008/kula/20 ... -9-big.jpg

    but being a race helmet are they suitable and worth paying a bit more for?
    Santa Cruz Tallboy
  • nfrang
    nfrang Posts: 250
    dan1502 wrote:
    but being a race helmet are they suitable and worth paying a bit more for?

    I would say yes. I used to have a Giro Flak which was £26.99 and in terms of comfort a bucket on my head would've been better. Just got a Xen and the difference is huge. As with most things you get what you pay for.
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    nfrang wrote:
    dan1502 wrote:
    but being a race helmet are they suitable and worth paying a bit more for?

    I would say yes. I used to have a Giro Flak which was £26.99 and in terms of comfort a bucket on my head would've been better. Just got a Xen and the difference is huge. As with most things you get what you pay for.
    The Flak was the wrong helmet for you then if it was not comfortable.

    You can get cheap comfortable helmets, just as you can get expensive comfortable helmets.

    Which is why everyone should try them on before buying.

    I have a £30 Met helmet that is just as comfortable as my £70 Met helmet
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    See I found the Giro Indicator really comfortable just not good in Summer. So you need a balance of lightness, venting and protection. All that starts at the Hex upwards. Which is why you need to try before you buy tbh. And some brands will suit you better than others.
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    The Giro's all fitted fine but I don'e know what they looked like. I might pop in again and check if they have the athlon because at £60 the above link seems a good buy.
    Santa Cruz Tallboy
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    I had another look in Evans today and tried a few on again and talked to them about price matching. I've read a few reviews that have put doubts in my mind about the Giro Athlon which is a shame as the colours are a spot on match for my bike though I might still go for one.

    I also like the Met Kaos. Looking into this I came across the Kaos Ultimalite. I realised this is more expensive but there is one feature that might swing it for me but I would first like to hear whether it's any good. It has a gel pad which supposedly stops sweat dripping down your face and glasses. I wear glasses and when working hard (I found this a problem when landscaping my garden in the summer) sweat drips down my glasses and is a pain to sort out. If this feature really works than I would probably go for it. I would then need to find a good deal. The best I've found so far is about £74.
    Santa Cruz Tallboy
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Not tried the Ultimate, but the regular Kaos has a non gel pad at the front which stops sweat from getting in my eyes & on my glasses, in fact most helmets have a pad at the front for this reason.

    Dunno if a gel pad works any better than a regular one though.

    I paid £70 for my Kaos when they first came out
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    Apologies for my indecisiveness but I've narrowed the choice to two - the Giro Athlon in the colours to match my bike or the Met Kaos Ultimalite. I can get the Giro for £59.99 or the Met for £74 in white or £68.95 but in anthracite.

    My size is right at the beginning of the Kaos large (58-61) and somewher in the middle of the Giro Athlon (55-59) - I'm 58. I have tried loads of helmets on including a these (though the Kaos was a standard one) and though the feel different it's hard to tell which was best.

    Any final thoughts? (reading all the reviews is getting confusing)
    Santa Cruz Tallboy
  • siber0
    siber0 Posts: 2
    Save another £2 on the Athlon here....

    http://www.onyourbike.co.uk/Search-Results?keywords=athlon&x=20&y=9

    Just got one myself.

    Si
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    If you are going into a bike shop to ask advice/try stuff on etc, then you should really be buying from there as well.

    Yes it might cost more but then the LBS has provided you with a better service than the online retailer.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    If you find they all fot well buy the one you like the look of!
    Also how easy is to to adjust the retention system?
    I like the dial adjustment on my Bell,much better than the adjster on my Hex.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    Spidey, what model Bell is that you have?
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    For the best in ventilation, get a Spesh 2D S Works - can be found cheap if you buy last years model.

    Utterly brilliant lid.
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    blister pus wrote:
    Spidey, what model Bell is that you have?


    Bell Alchera road helmet and an older Bell Venture.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    I went for the Giro Athlon in the end. Thanks for the link to the cheaper price but it was a bit late for me. I tried the helmets on at Evans and was going to buy from them on price match but they didn't have the colour in stock. I bought some other stuff there so wasn't taking the mick. I also bought some grips at my LBS the other day at full list (not like me not to haggle). I do like the Evans price match as I can get stuff at the best internet price and take them back to a local store if anything goes wrong - best of both worlds! I wish I'd realised this before I'd spent so much elsewhere.
    Santa Cruz Tallboy

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